Blind student, David Chung, far left, and sighted, Les Hubner demonstrate self defense with the use of a walking cane. They are at the 8th Annual Shambala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

For 13 years, Lester Hubner has been training in taekwondo with Grand Master Sung Yang, earning a 3rd degree black belt and becoming an assistant instructor for the class.

“You just cannot believe the feeling that someone like me gets from having people around them that they can help,” Hubner said. “When I’m out there, I’m asking for help. When I’m here, I’m not asking for anything.”

Hubner trains in the martial art at the Braille Institute in Anaheim. Every Friday, Hubner boards a bus from his home in Huntington Beach, exits on Beach Boulevard near Knott’s Berry Farm and makes the 20 minute walk east to the center, which offers a variety of programs and classes for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Blind student, Unjue Cho, 86, demonstrates a technique called “Don’t mess with my backpack” with Grand Master, Sung Wook Yang, who has volunteered his time and teaching skills to the Orange County Braille Institute the past 15 years. He has taught Taekwondo to more than 70 blind students.
The event held demonstrations by both sighted and blind students, ending with a board breaking event and belt ceremony. They are at the 8th Annual Shambhala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Blind students, Sherman Wiggs, far left, and Phillip Obregon show sighted students a technique called “Don’t mess with my backpack”. They are at the 8th Annual Shambala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

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Over the past 15 years Korean Grand Master Sung Wook Yang, far left, and Dr. Lucinda McDermott from the Shambhala Martial Arts Center have volunteered their time and teaching skills to the Orange County Braille Institute. They have taught Taekwondo to more than 70 blind students.
The two are at the 8th Annual Shambala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Over the past 15 years Korean Grand Master Sung Wook Yang, far left, and Dr. Lucinda McDermott from the Shambhala Martial Arts Center have volunteered their time and teaching skills to the Orange County Braille Institute. They have taught Taekwondo to more than 70 blind students.
The two are demonstrating their techniques during the 8th Annual Shambala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Blind student, Kylie Sykes, middle, demonstrates Taekwondo during the 8th annual Shambhala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim. The event was held on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Over the past 15 years Korean Grand Master Sung Wook Yang has volunteered his time teaching skills to the Orange County Braille Institute. He has taught Taekwondo to more than 70 blind students. He is demonstrating his technique with sighted black belt team member, Ryan Yoo.
They are at the 8th Annual Shambala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Blind student, David Chung, far left, and sighted, Les Hubner demonstrate self defense with the use of a walking cane. They are at the 8th Annual Shambala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Blind student, David Chung, 25, is all smiles after he broke his board during the 8th annual Shambhala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019. Grand Master, Sung Wook Yang, holds his board. He has been volunteering the past 15 years teaching blind students Taekwondo.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Blind, Taekwondo students hold on to each other as they walk the mat during their demonstrations to family and friends during the 8th Annual Shambala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Martial Arts students, who are blind, hold onto each other as they walk to the area where they will demonstrate their skills and also have a belt ceremony that involves breaking boards.
The students are at the 8th Annual Shambala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Blind student, Kylie Sykes, 36, far left, reacts to breaking the board and earning another belt during the 8th annual Shambhala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Sighted black belt team member, Micah Lee Cannot break the board on his first several attempts during the 8th annual Shambhala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Grand Master, Sung Wook Yang, far left, demonstrates a Taekwondo technique with sighted Black Belt Demonstration team member, Danial Tran. The event was held during the 8th annual Shambhala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Sighted Mia Dalgliesh, middle, demonstrates her martial arts skills with the sighted black belt team during the 8th annual Shambhala Festival. The event was held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Unjue Cho, 86, is hugged by Grand Master, Sung Wook Yang after she demonstrated a martial arts technique. Yang has volunteered his time and teaching skills to the Orange County Braille Institute and has taught Taekwondo to more than 70 blind students.
The event held demonstrations by both sighted and blind students, ending with a board breaking event and belt ceremony. They are at the 8th Annual Shambhala Festival held at the Orange County Braille Institute in Anaheim on Saturday October 26, 2019.
(Photos by Karen Tapia, Contributing Photographer)

Hubner, 72, is able to see out about 20 feet in front of him, while most people can see about 200 feet.

That feeling of empowerment derived from not only practicing taekwondo, but practicing under the guidance of Yang, a 7th degree black belt, and Lucinda McDermott, a 4th degree black belt, is a main reason the martial arts class is the most popular of all the activities offered at the institute.

Yang, who owns the Shambhala Martial Arts Center in Brea, started the taekwondo classes at the Braille Institute 18 years ago and said he was immediately inspired by his students’ effort.

“They challenge themselves,” Yang said. “That is why I respect them.”

The class is free, as are all the services and classes offered at the Braille Institute.

“I’ve seen people just blossom in this class,” said Donna Wager, the volunteer services manager at the institute. “They carry themselves in a more confident manner. I think that it makes them less vulnerable. They learn spatial awareness, balance and coordination.”

The students, which number about 40 and include a woman in her 80s, also walk away with an understanding of the philosophies of Shamballa Taekwondo, McDermott said.

Those include interpersonal communication skills, deeper self-awareness, self-discipline and ability to influence others.

“We put 70 percent of the focus on our way of life,” McDermott said “They not only know the taekwondo skills, and are not only a great teacher of the taekwondo skills, but in their heart they fully understand the philosophies that go with each belt and they have the ability to inspire that in other people.”

Student David Yohan Chung, 27, said he has been making the trek to the class from Koreatown in Los Angeles for seven years, because he wanted to be taught by a grand master.

“Taekwondo is a sport for which we Koreans are very proud,” said Chung, who holds a brown belt. “In Korea, there are not many grand masters who are willing to teach visually impaired students how to do taekwondo. I think one of the biggest blessings of the class is (becoming) more confident in my abilities and conquering some of the challenges that visually impaired people have.”

Yang’s students had the chance to display their skills during the eighth annual Shambala festival, held at the institute on Saturday, Oct. 26.

The festival featured a weapons demonstration, a belt ceremony and a “board breaking bonanza” where students and guests were able to purchase boards for $2, $5 or $10 and then learn how to break them.

“They’re willing to teach you something that nobody else will teach you, and in a comfortable atmosphere,” Hubner said. “They do everything here to make it so safe. I’ve been doing this for so long, not because I have to, but because I can’t wait to.”

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